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Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow in their quest to sign Djed Spence permanently this summer, with Tottenham now confident of acquiring his signature.

The Lowdown: Summer of woe for Forest

Steve Cooper’s side secured promotion to the Premier League last month but their summer hasn’t got off to the most positive of starts in the transfer market.

Rumoured target Connor Goldson has signed a new deal at Rangers, while goalkeeping hero Brice Samba has reportedly rejected a new contract at the City Ground.

Now, a third major blow looks like it could be coming Forest’s way.

The Latest: Forest to lose Spence race

According to 90min, Spurs believe they will pip Forest to the signing of Spence this summer, with Antonio Conte looking to secure a deal for the right-back.

The north Londoners are willing to spend £20million on the Englishman, with personal terms on a long-term deal close to being agreed.

Spence enjoyed an outstanding season on loan from Middlesbrough, scoring two goals and registering four assists for Cooper’s side.

The Verdict: Hard to compete with Spurs

This is an undoubted concern for Forest, with Spence such an influential presence at right-back last season, bringing so much attacking energy and quality to the team.

Sadly, the lure of joining Spurs could be too much for him to turn down, however, considering they have qualified for next season’s Champions League.

There is still an element of hope that Spence ends up opting for Forest, where he would be a guaranteed regular, but they certainly can’t be considered the favourites to get their man now.

In other news, Forest have been dealt a blow regarding one player’s future. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa must revive their interest in Montpellier winger Stephy Mavididi after the Englishman’s impressive campaign in Ligue 1.

What’s the word?

Italian news outlet Tutto Mercato Web claimed back in January that both Aston Villa and West Ham were taking an interest in the former Arsenal man. A move didn’t happen but a return to England is seemingly back on the cards.

The Birmingham Mail now claim that the likes of Everton, Brighton and Southampton are taking an interest in the 24-year-old attacker, so competition will be steep for Steven Gerrard if he wants to get a deal done, with reports suggesting that he would cost around £15m.

The new Saka?

Mavididi has found his feet at Montpellier and looks to be fulfilling the promise he showed at Arsenal as a youngster, which earned him a move to Juventus in 2018.

While it didn’t work out for the youngster in Turin, he has established himself as a key player at the Stade de la Mosson since making the move to France in 2020.

Last season saw the Englishman contribute eight goals and three assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances, averaging a solid 6.71 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Although he is four years older than Bukayo Saka, the similarities are clear to see between the two, as Mavididi progressed through the Arsenal academy and likes to cut inside from wide areas, as Saka does so well for Arsenal.

WhoScored suggests that finishing is a strength for both Mavididi and Saka, while they also both like to dribble, do layoffs and play short passes, as is perhaps ingrained in the Arsenal academy philosophy.

Both players have also earned the praise of Premier League legend Thierry Henry, as he lauded the Montpellier man last season, saying:

“What I’ve always liked about Stephy Mavididi is that he’s a hard-working player who closes (opponents) down. He’s always in the right place. What was missing was finishing — whether to give the ball or to score — but now he’s brought that to his game.”

Saka is also well-regarded for his work rate at Arsenal, so if Villa were to sign Mavididi this summer then perhaps Steven Gerrard could soon have his own version of the Gunners’ wonderkid at Villa Park.

And, in other news… Forget Suarez: Gerrard should unleash Villa’s “unsung hero” next season

Manchester United are close to reaching an agreement with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Making moves…

An Old Trafford rebuild under Erik ten Hag is well and truly underway, with the club announcing exits for midfielders Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata.

The Red Devils are also working on a number of deals, with Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Benfica striker Darwin Nunez key targets.

Reports have hinted that an agreement could be close between United and Benfica for Nunez following a first offer, and it looks as if the club could be about to break through in talks for De Jong as well.

The Latest: Morning update

Sports Witness relayed Spanish outlet Sport’s Saturday morning update regarding Manchester United and De Jong.

They claim that there is a ‘serious chance’ the midfielder swaps the Nou Camp for Old Trafford, with the two clubs ‘very close’ to reaching an agreement.

An €80m (£68.6m) figure was mooted in the report, which would provide Barcelona with a much-needed financial boost.

Ten Hag is personally involved in trying to ‘convince’ the player to join, and he now looks set to get his way.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Described as a ‘genius’ by Xavi Hernandez, De Jong’s presence in Manchester is needed following three midfield departures.

The 25-year-old can play in a holding or box-to-box role and has appeared under Ten Hag on 59 occasions already, so could form part of a three-man midfield with Bruno Fernandes and a more defensive-minded midfielder, perhaps Fred.

Ten Hag clearly got the best out of De Jong seeing as their time together resulted in a mega-money move to Barcelona back in 2019, and it looks as if a reunion could well and truly be on the cards.

In other news: £90m bid: Man Utd now launch move for ‘big name’ star as Ten Hag looks to get one over on Conte. 

Newcastle United are reportedly preparing a bid to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson during the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Northern Echo, the Magpies are confident of securing a deal to sign the England international in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the club are set to make an offer of £15m and believe that it will be enough to wrap up a transfer upon the opening of the window next week.

Henderson is said to have decided that he needs to leave Old Trafford to further his career and Newcastle are looking to pounce on the opportunity to sign him.

It is also stated that the Toon are not looking to cash in on current stopper Martin Dubravka as he is set to provide competition for the jersey next season.

Eddie Howe would love him

The Magpies’ head coach would love him at St. James’ Park as he is a young shot-stopper with the potential to improve in the years to come.

Henderson is eight years younger than Dubravka and this means that he can be the long-term replacement for the Slovakian on Tyneside. He is still very young in goalkeeping terms and has the scope to be Newcastle’s first choice for a large number of years.

The 25-year-old is also a proven Premier League performer who will not need a period of adaptation to adjust to playing in England. He has played in two top-flight campaigns for Sheffield United and Manchester United combined and kept an impressive 17 clean sheets in that time – averaging an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.94.

Toon legend Alan Shearer previously lauded the shot-stopper as he named him in his 2020/21 Team of the Season. He said: “It was tough to leave out Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, but Sheffield United’s season has been one of the best stories of the campaign and Henderson has been key to their success.

“The Manchester United loanee has kept 10 clean sheets and his bravery and confidence beyond his 23 years. He is a star in the making.”

The Premier League’s all-time top scorer believes that the Englishman has huge potential and that is why this is an exciting target for Newcastle to have. Howe will love to work with him to help the gem fulfil his potential and, hopefully, become the club’s number one for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Newcastle now plotting bid to sign maestro with 128 PL apps, just imagine him & Bruno…

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, West Ham United look set to ‘make an offer’ for Jesse Lingard during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: West Ham set to face competition for Lingard

The 29-year-old is a Manchester United academy product and has been at the club since the age of seven, having since gone on to make 232 senior appearances for the Old Trafford outfit.

The 32-cap England international joined the Irons on loan in January 2021 and hugely impressed during his time at the London Stadium.

With his current contract in Manchester set to expire at the end of June, it looks as though David Moyes has reignited his interest in the midfielder after it was revealed earlier this week that West Ham have made initial enquiries about the possibility of re-signing Lingard in the summer.

The Hammers are set to face competition for his signature, though, as Serie A trio Roma, AC Milan and Juventus are all believed to be keen on offering the Warrington native a route out of the Premier League, with the player reportedly demanding a £150k-per-week contract wherever his next destination is.

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The Latest: Jones makes Lingard ‘offer’ claim

Jones understands that West Ham are preparing to present an offer for Lingard and thinks that they will still have a go at making a proposal despite the 29-year-old’s hopes of landing a big-money move.

He told GiveMeSport: “They are going to make an offer to Jesse Lingard. They haven’t got around to it just yet, but there is going to be something happening on that front. We’ll just have to wait and see what that Lingard proposal is, first of all.”

The Verdict: Europa temptation?

Lingard was in scintillating form during his half-season at the London Stadium last year, so it comes as no surprise to see that the West Ham hierarchy are now trying to bring him to the club on a permanent basis.

The £18m-rated maestro scored nine goals and provided five assists in just 16 appearances under Moyes (as per Transfermarkt) and played a crucial part in helping the Irons to secure a club-record Premier League points tally and a crack at the Europa League, in which they went all the way to the semi-finals.

West Ham will now be looking forward to yet another season of European football next term after claiming a seventh-place finish in the league table, albeit in the Europa Conference League instead.

Nonetheless, the opportunity of playing regularly on the European stage may be a huge deciding factor when it comes to Lingard choosing where the next chapter of his career will take him.

In other news… a reliable journalist has dropped this ‘big’ West Ham transfer twist

A major West Ham United transfer update has now come to light involving Rennes defender and David Moyes target Nayef Aguerd.

The Lowdown: Irons eye move…

The Daily Telegraph, sharing news earlier this week, broke news that manager Moyes had personally set his sights on the colossal Ligue 1 defender after missing out at the start of the 2021/2022 Premier League campaign.

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Valued at around £20 million, it was claimed that West Ham have re-joined the race for Aguerd as the Hammers eye new central defensive additions.

The Morocco international, having been a key player for Rennes this season, signed a new deal until 2025 last year but that seemingly hasn’t stopped GSB from attempting a deal.

The Latest: West Ham ‘working on a deal’…

According to a reliable source in The Guardian, West Ham are now ‘working on a deal’ to sign Aguerd behind-the-scenes as they attempt an agreement for Moyes.

They also back that the Irons boss has personally identified the 26-year-old as a ‘key target’ ahead of the summer wind0w.

The Verdict: Get it done…

At £20m, Aguerd would be a fairly shrewd signing given his form on the continent and real presence in the middle of defence.

Lauded as the ‘real boss’ of Rennes by members of the Ligue 1 media, the African gem has won more aerial duels and racked up a higher number of clearances per 90 than all of his teammates over 2021/2022 (WhoScored).

A brilliant ball-playing centre-half also, Aguerd completes an impressive 89% of his passes out from the back – backing why Moyes is so keen to get a deal done.

As West Ham work on an agreement to sign him, this update comes as a promising one for supporters.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are also eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes! Find out more here.

Two innings in which we saw the best of Virat Kohli’s chasing prowess

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2023Voting for this match-up has ended. The 133* vs Sri Lanka in Hobart moves to the final round.115*(66) vs Australia, 6th ODI, Nagpur, 2013Kohli walked in during the 30th over of the chase, with India 178 for 1 in pursuit of 351 to level the series at 2-2. After Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan had put on a 178-run partnership, Kohli continued his rich vein of form in the series, smashing four fours and a six in the first 18 balls he faced, and brought up his fifth consecutive score of 50 or more. In the 41st over, he hit a hat-trick of fours off Mitchell Johnson, who struck twice in his next over. From 62 off 48, the equation became 35 off 18. Kohli, though, pulled out some of the most incredible shots of his innings, driving chest-high balls for fours wide of long-off, to take India through with three balls to spare. His hundred came in the 49th over and off 61 balls, the third-fastest by an Indian in ODIs, just two weeks after he had smashed the fastest. It was the second Kohli hundred in a successful chase of 350+ in the series, making India the first team to achieve the feat twice.133*(86) vs Sri Lanka, CB Series, Hobart, 2012On a long tour of Australia, Kohli was in combat mode. He had already flipped off the Sydney crowd, had verbal battles with Mitch Johnson and most of the Australia team, got his first Test hundred, in Adelaide, and celebrated it with some aggressive bat-waving and swearing. Now, in the tri-series, India were set an improbable task to keep their hopes of making the finals alive: they needed to chase 321 in 40 overs or under to get a bonus point. Kohli, who came in at 86 for 2, stitched together a 115-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir and then cut loose. A hat-trick of boundaries off Nuwan Kulasekara came, followed by an angry thud over the covers off Thisara Perera. The final flourish was a 24-run over off Lasith Malinga. In all, he scored 44 runs off 15 deliveries from Malinga, consigning the best death bowler in the world to the poorest economy rate (minimum of five overs) in an ODI innings at that time. By the time the winning shot – an off drive for four – was hit, it was clear that this was a next-generational talent. And yes, India were home in 36.4 overs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Winning trophies and top-scorer awards might be routine to Erling Haaland, but this week the striker stands on the brink of what could be a once-in-lifetime opportunity: to qualify for the World Cup with Norway. Since Haaland was born in 2000, Norway have never competed on the world's biggest stage. Their six attempts have all fallen flat, only reaching the play-offs on one occasion.

Automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, however, is in their own hands. And at the feet of Haaland. The Manchester City striker is the top scorer in UEFA qualifying on 12 goals from six games, five more than closest rival Memphis Depay.

In Norway's most recent qualifier against Israel, Haaland struck a hat-trick in a 5-0 drubbing. In the previous game, he scored five and set up two more as Norway walloped Moldova 11-1. The Scandinavians have won all six of their games to take a three-point lead over Italy ahead of their final two games, Thursday's home fixture against Estonia and Sunday's showdown with the Azzurri at San Siro.

But most crucially, and in large part thanks to Haaland's insatiable hunger for scoring, they hold a 16-goal lead in goal difference, the tie-breaker in the event they finish on the same amount of points as Italy. Victory against Estonia, who have lost five of their seven qualifiers, will therefore all-but guarantee them a spot at the World Cup.

Haaland and Norway are taking nothing for granted, but they are on the cusp of what the striker, who has won almost every major trophy with City, has described as the biggest objective of his career.

Getty Family ties

Haaland has a very close relationship with his former footballer father, Alfie, but also a healthy rivalry with him. "He never pushed me to anything, but he early knew that I wanted to become good at football," Haaland told magazine. "I said a long time ago 'Hopefully I'll become better than you'. I told him many times. That's been something that has been a motivation for me ever since I was young, to live from football and become better than him."

It is fair to say that Erling has already had a far more impressive career than Alfie, who won zero major honours in his 20-year stint in professional football. Erling, by contrast, has won nine trophies, including the Champions League and Premier League, two Golden Boots and been named Player of the Season in both England and Germany. But Alfie can boast of one thing his son is yet to achieve: he has played in a World Cup.

Alfie was part of the Norway side that qualified for the 1994 World Cup in the U.S., and so there is an added significance to Erling's bid to reach next summer's tournament and become the second member of his family to not only play in the world's most prestigious competition, but to do so in the same country as his father.

AdvertisementGetty 'Biggest party ever'

Norway last reached the World Cup in 1998 (Alfie didn't make the squad), and while in the U.S. they agonisingly missed out on the knockout stage by one goal after all four teams in their group finished on four points, Norway had an epic journey in France, reaching the last 16 by beating none other than world champions Brazil. 

Granted, Brazil had already qualified as Group A winners, but they still fielded an all-star side including Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo and the best player in the world at the time, Ronaldo. Norway went behind in the 79th minute but staged an incredible turnaround in the space of five minutes to snatch a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Tore Andre Flo and an 89th-minute penalty from Kjetil Rekdal. 

Norway were beaten 1-0 by Italy in the last 16, but no one alive then will forget the achievement of beating Brazil and making it to the knockout stage. Haaland is not looking that far ahead, but he knows that just making it to the finals will be a historic achievement. "If we would qualify for the World Cup, it would be like another big nation winning it," he told . "It would be the biggest party ever. Scenes in Oslo would be incredible."

Getty 'Sick and tired'

Norway had something approaching the biggest party ever when they beat Italy 3-0 in June. Rain had hammered down relentlessly throughout the game, but fans remained inside the Ullevaal Stadion long after full-time, serenading their players while wearing their ponchos.

"People didn't want to go home," said coach Stale Solbakken. "The rain was pouring, but they were there long before the game and long after the game."

Solbakken was part of the squad at the 1998 World Cup, giving the current crop of players, the vast majority of whom were not born then, a link with the past, although it is one that Solbakken wants to break: "We are sick and tired of talking about that now, so we need to get to another tournament. It’s 25 years since we've been in a major tournament, so it's about time."

Solbakken's experience at the World Cup is not even his most significant achievement. While training with FC Copenhagen in 2000, the 57-time Norway international collapsed from a heart attack as his heart stopped beating for almost seven minutes and he went into a coma for 30 hours. "He was clinically dead," said the club doctor who revived him. "It is a miracle that he is still alive."

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AFP'Biggest match-winner'

Solbakken was forced to retire at the age of 30, entering coaching in 2002. He won eight league titles with Copenhagen in two spells before becoming Norway coach in 2020. He is blessed with an incredible generation of players headlined by Haaland and Martin Odegaard (who is out injured at the moment), and backed-up by Haaland's City team-mate Oscar Bobb, Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth, RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa, Fulham midfielder Sander Berge and Borussia Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson.

"Offensively, we have players with some X-factor now. We feel we can always score a goal," Solbakken added. "As a team, we have become much more solid defensively as well. We have a better mix. The feeling (in the squad) has always been good, but there’s an extra edge to it now that we have done so well."

No one has quite the X-factor of Haaland, and yet Solbakken insists the striker is "easy to coach". "He is very down-to-earth in terms that he wants to do his work defensively as well," he added. "He thinks about the team before he thinks about himself. You can see that when other players score, he's as happy as he is when he scores himself. He's aware he's a leader and he's taking care of his team-mates in a very good way. The other players know that Erling is our biggest match-winner and that we have to make sure that we put him in the right areas so he can score goals and be dangerous."

Freddie Freeman had a legendary World Series run with the victorious Los Angeles Dodgers this year, starting with his walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1 over the New York Yankees.

He went on to hit a home run in the first four games of the World Series, and eventually won the World Series MVP award.

One Dodgers fan, The Bismarck Tribune's Maeve Hushman, decided to commemorate Freeman's World Series performance with a tattoo of his grand slam. The tattoo shows the numbers of the three players on the bases when Freeman hit his homer—No. 50 Mookie Betts on first, No. 25 Tommy Edman on second and No. 3 Chris Taylor on third. It then shows a ball being hit outside the ballpark.

What a creative way to celebrate the Dodgers' title. She will never forget Freeman's historical walk-off grand slam, that's for sure.

Just when Chelsea were seemingly building serious momentum, wait, what happened?

When the Blues took a fourth-minute lead through Alejandro Garnacho against Sunderland, they appeared set to cruise to a nice routine victory at 3 o’clock on a Saturday.

However, Wilson Isidor equalised for the Black Cats soon after and then, right at the death, with the home side pushing for a winner of their own, Chemsdine Talbi snatched victory, sparking wild celebrations from the Mackems who had traveled to West London.

Chelsea did end the afternoon with 16 shots to Sunderland’s ten, but forced Robin Roefs into just two saves, while Robert Sánchez made six, hence why the newly-promoted outfit ended the game with a higher xG figure: 0.97-1.16.

Before this, Enzo Maresca’s team had won four on the spin, demolishing Ajax 5-1 in the Champions League, while also beating both Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Now, though, question marks will be raised against the manager, so, with a fierce London derby against Tottenham to come next Saturday, which player should Maresca cast aside following his display during this defeat?

João Pedro's start to life at Chelsea

Back in the summer, after arriving mid-way through the Club World Cup from Brighton, straight into action having been on a Brazilian beach, João Pedro was being heralded as a revelation.

He scored twice on debut against former side Fluminense in the semi-finals, before also netting during the final demolition over Paris Saint-Germain a few days later.

However, since serious football has returned, he’s not lived up to these admittedly astronomical high standards.

Pedro has scored only twice this season, on target against both West Ham and Fulham back in August, thereby enduring something of a goal drought, which is not ideal given that Liam Delap is sidelined long-term.

Also not helping Pedro’s cause is the fact that, on Wednesday night, he missed the annihilation of Ajax, suspended, having been sent off in stoppage time against Benfica, and the team put in a free-flowing, free-scoring display in his absence.

Per Sofascore, during Sunday’s defeat to Sunderland, in 85 minutes on the field, he touched the ball just 30 times, lost possession on nine occasions, was flagged offside twice, and mustered zero shots, replaced by Tyrique George towards the end, a change Chelsea supporters may have wished to see sooner.

However, his place in the starting lineup may actually not be under that much threat, given that his primary competition for minutes may have actually been even worse.

The Chelsea youngster who should be dropped

It may still only be October, but Marc Guiu has already endured a weird season.

The teenage Spaniard began the campaign on loan at Sunderland, making just three appearances for the club, scoring against Huddersfield in the Carabao Cup, before being abruptly recalled following the aforementioned injury sustained by Delap.

Upon his return to West London, he did not feature in any of their first six fixtures, making the recall seem a bit pointless, but he then changed the game off the bench against Nottingham Forest last weekend, providing a much-needed focal point.

Guiu was then rewarded with a start against Ajax in mid-week and repaid the manager’s faith, breaking the deadlock in that one, thereby starting against his, briefly, former club this weekend too, a first-ever Premier League start.

However, as the table below documents, safe to say he did not make Sunderland supporters rue what could have been.

Shots on target

1

8th

Shots off target

1

6th

xG

0.22

4th

Accurate passes

2

30th

Duels contested

3

23rd

Duels won

Zero

30th

Possession lost

6

17th

Touches

10

26th

SofaScore rating

6

30th

As the table documents, Guiu won zero duels, completed just two passes, and touched the ball only ten times, the same number as the man who replaced him in the 76th minute, namely Jamie Gittens.

Bobby Vincent of Football London awarded him a 4/10, noting that he ‘got very little change’ out of Dan Ballard, while Sam Tabuteau of the Evening Standard added that he ‘struggled to get into the game’ and lacked ‘finesse’, believing the game was a ‘reminder of his inexperience’, both of which are pretty polite ways of phrasing it, we would suggest.

Thus, the Barcelona wonderkid may not be the answer to Chelsea’s centre-forward conundrum after all.

With games against Spurs, Barcelona and Arsenal to come in November, Maresca will surely favour alternative options, especially for those tougher assignments.

Not just George: Maresca must start Chelsea teen who's "similar to Palmer"

Enzo Maresca must start this exciting Chelsea youngster more regularly, who is being compared to Cole Palmer.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 25, 2025